


Discussion

by FrozenSnares



Series: Benefits of Detention [19]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Father-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 04:04:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7251313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenSnares/pseuds/FrozenSnares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rickon plans for the future</p>
            </blockquote>





	Discussion

**Author's Note:**

> This is for everyone who is feeling how I am.
> 
> At least you didn't have to read what I did after having your heart ripped out.

“Come in.”

Hands clasped in front of him, Rickon shyly walked into his father’s office. Generally speaking, the Stark children knew better than to disrupt their father while he was working. Even Rickon managed to learn this with how little time he actually spent with his parents while growing up.

“Rickon? Is dinner ready?” Ned asked his son, putting down his pen and taking off his glasses.

“No,” Rickon said quickly. He immediately backtracked. “I mean… It might be. I didn’t check, I just—” He cut himself off, biting his tongue and trying to think.

Ned looked confused, sitting further back in his chair. “What is it?” he asked.

Kicking his feet lightly, Rickon walked around the other chair. He slumped into it and rubbed his hands over his face. “I, um… I wanted to tell you something.”

Ned nodded, moving his papers to the side and giving Rickon his undivided attention.

Breathing out hard, Rickon pinched the bridge of his nose. Chewing on his tongue, he finally looked up. “I’m gonna marry Shireen.”

To Rickon’s surprise, his father didn’t react at all. Ned simply continued looking at his youngest son. After a full minute of silence, Ned let out a heavy sigh. He leveled a look at Rickon and asked, “Have you discussed this with her yet?”

“Yeah…” Rickon glanced around. “I mean… it’s been four years. And we’re gonna graduate next week, so I thought it’d be nice to—”

“How old are you, Rickon?” Ned asked abruptly.

Rickon’s focus snapped back to his dad. “Eighteen.”

“And how old is Shireen?”

“Twenty-two.”

Ned nodded. “And what’s Shireen doing after she graduates?”

Rickon blinked. “Dad, you already know this. Shireen told you the other week.”

“Tell me again.”

Sighing, Rickon straightened his posture. His twisted his mouth and said, “She’s going back to stay with her dad for a bit. Then, she’s coming back up for grad school for a few years so she can get a PhD.”

Nodding slowly, Ned shuffled his papers around. He stacked up a few. “And what are you doing after graduation?”

“Working, mostly, and I’m gonna go back to Winterfell so I can get an MBA,” Rickon said. “What does this have to do with any—”

“Do you remember how your mother and I got together?” Ned asked.

Rickon slumped down again. “Yeah,” he said. “There was that mess with Uncle Brandon, and—”

“Do you know what it means to be married?” Ned asked.

“Yeah, it’s a lot of—”

“Do you know how to—”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Rickon snapped. “I didn’t come here for a lecture. I came to tell you what I’m going to do and you’re not going to stop it.”

“Rickon, sit down,” Ned said calmly. He waited for Rickon to settle back into the chair, before continuing. “Now, tell me why you want to marry Shireen.”

Rickon’s mouth dropped open. “You’re not…” he didn’t even manage to finish the question before he saw his father nodding again. “Well, I love her. And she loves me. And I want to be with her more than just… how we’ve been. I mean, it’s nice to date her and stuff, but if she’s always sneaking into my bed, it’d be nice if—I mean. Not _in_ my bed. Well, yeah, in my bed. But it’s not like we’re sleeping—well, we do sleep. But it’s not like _sleeping_ … always…”

Ned sighed loudly. “Rickon, get to the point,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone to find out what Shireen has consented to, but I’d prefer to stop thinking about it.”

“You know?” Rickon asked.

“Again, it surprises no one,” Ned said. Seeing Rickon’s confusion, he added on. “Your door creaks. Shaggydog’s loud. I raised your brothers.”

Rickon felt his face flush. “Right. Sorry,” he mumbled. “But I’m going to marry her.”

“I have no doubt about that,” Ned replied. “Does she know?”

“Well, I need to ask her,” Rickon said slowly.

Ned’s eyebrows shot up. “You never discussed it?”

Rickon faltered. He spent a moment to properly work his tongue. “Isn’t it supposed to be a surprise?”

“To an extent,” Ned said. “Or are you telling me because you’re going to start talking about it with her?”

“Um… I was gonna propose…” Rickon muttered, staring at his feet.

Ned swallowed, running a hand through his hair. “Are you prepared for her answer?”

“She’s going to agree,” Rickon snapped. “She’s not just going to—”

“What if she asks you to wait?” Ned asked.

“Why would she—?”

“She’s going back to grad school,” Ned continued. “It’s a lot of work to get through. A few years, usually… I do believe most women like to be involved in planning a wedding, regardless of the length of their engagement. _And_ most people like to have a place to live so they don’t have to stay with their parents after their wedding. Plus, I think she’d like a ring.”

Rickon’s face went red again. He shoved his hands in his pockets, biting his tongue. Seeing his dad’s stare, he pulled out the small ring box and placed it down on the solid wood desk. In absolute silence, his father reached for the box. He opened it, sighed, and closed it.

“How long have you had this?” he asked, putting it back on the desk, though it was definitely out of reach of his son.

“A year,” Rickon mumbled. “Shireen really liked it, so I saved up for it and bought it.”

Ned sighed again. “Will it fit her?”

“I just got it resized,” Rickon confessed. “I, um, borrowed her class ring for it.”

“And she doesn’t know?”

Rickon shook his head. “I mean, we’ve mentioned it,” he told his dad. “It’s come up a bunch, but not like… no planning.”

Slowly, Ned reached for the ring box again. He opened it just slightly, before closing it and standing. He walked around his desk, gesturing for Rickon to stand. Rickon joined his father, reaching out for the box, but Ned pocketed it.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “Take Shireen out to dinner, and start planning. But do it without that ring. Because she _will_ marry you. Of that, I’m certain. But you should ask when you’re one hundred percent sure of her answer, okay?”

Rickon smiled weakly. “Yeah, okay,” he said.

“Also,” Ned said, patting his son’s shoulder. “When you _do_ ask her, don’t do it here. Give her father the satisfaction of seeing that. And call me after.”

Rickon sputtered out a laugh. “Deal,” he said. “Thanks, Dad.”

After taking a deep breath, Rickon left his dad’s office. He almost immediately crashed into Shireen. She still had Shaggydog on a leash and was only a little surprised to see him.

“Hey,” she greeted. “Were you just talking to your dad?”

“Yeah,” Rickon said, leaning forward to peck her on the lips. “Do you want to go on a date tonight?”

Shireen looked up in thought. “I thought we were having a big dinner with your family tonight.”

“We were,” Rickon said slowly. “But I think I’d like to go on another date with you before graduation.”

Shireen giggled. “You mean, before we’re both officially bachelors?”

“Yup,” Rickon agreed. “So what do you think?”

Shireen feigned thought. “Will I have to dress up?”

“You know you like dressing up,” Rickon replied.

Giggling again, Shireen leaned forward. “What I meant was… are _you_ dressing up?”

Rickon rolled his eyes. “Well, I gotta match my date, don’t I?”

With a wide smile, Shireen pressed up against Rickon’s chest. “Now, that’s what I like to hear,” she said, stretching up on the balls of her feet to kiss him again.


End file.
